Island told to prepare for food shortages in CalMac ferry row

The row surrounds a decision by the Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac to relocate the island ferry MV Isle of Lewis to Stornoway from Thursday until Saturday.

The Herald has learned that as a result the island Co-op which had suffered food shortages nearly two weeks ago has been advised to order additional stock as a result in preparation.

READ MORE: Row as £1m-a-month 'emergency' ferry isn't taking passengers

Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP Angus MacNeil is now writing to the transport minister Fiona Hyslop calling for redress to island communities in the wake of disruption to the ferry services.

A complaint was made last week about a lack of fresh food in shops on two islands Barra and Vatersay which were said to have gone nearly a full week without any food deliveries in the wake of disruption that has been spawned by bad weather and ferry overhaul issues.

Last Thursday, CalMac said they had offered food suppliers space on board services from Uig on the Isle of Skye so that they could deliver to Barra, and they are also on board the vessel from Oban to Barra.

Now it has emerged there is a row over a move to relocate the Barra ferry to Stornoway, the main town on the Isle of Lewis.

CalMac chief executive confirmed that  local hauliers and food suppliers have been advised of the  temporary changes "as soon as possible and will keep in regular contact with them to ensure that the supply chain is maintained".

He said: “We understand that this is a very challenging and difficult time for customers who have seen multiple disruptions over a prolonged period of consecutive named storm fronts, with travel and supply chain disrupted outside of our control. We constantly look at options to resume services and will do this whenever there’s a weather window and it is safe to travel.”

A message from a CalMac manager to key users said that the decision was made because the wind direction and speed in the coming days "does not provide a safe berth" in Castlebay in Barra.

Mr MacNeil said he had been bombarded with email messages "stunned" at the decision and "CalMac’s concept of 'safe berthing' in better weather.

“The first choice would’ve been to operate to Oban and lay there overnight, however, as I’m sure you know, Oban is very congested and there is not an overnight berth available for her," the CalMac briefing states.

"Therefore, the only safe option for the vessel is for her to operate to Ullapool and lie over in Stornoway and back down to Castlebay via Ullapool thereafter."

READ MORE: 'Ferry fiasco'? 'Ageing fleet'? How did we get here?

But the MP said there had been no rational explanation or justification for the decision which he said was "simply not good enough".

"Last week the ferry was berthed in Castlebay during two named storms. This morning the weather is worse than it is any other part of the week in the 'safe berthing' period and the ferry is now berthed in Castlebay," he said.

"Pronouncing on high from whoever makes these decisions at CalMac is not good enough for communities. CalMac management far away from the communities concerned do not seem to care, explain or justify to the public when they make these decisions."

The message to some users goes on: " I’m sure you would agree that the last thing any of us would want is for the ship to lie in Castlebay and risk damage to either the ship or the pier resulting in severe disruption to the islands for a prolonged period of time.

"I appreciate this is not the ideal option for Barra, but as the captain deems it the safest option, I’m sure you will agree this would be the preference to the alternative possibility of damage and prolonged disruption.

“I’ve spoken to Barratlantic [the fresh fish, shellfish and seafood firm] who are sending vehicles via Uig [on the Isle of Skye]...

"I’ve also been in touch with...the Co-op and strongly advised that she orders additional stock in over the next few days as the forecast is poor right into the weekend and continues to monitor during prolonged periods of poor weather."

The development had followed a string of ferry cancellations on the Arran route, caused by storms, the port's Irish berth being closed on safety grounds following a dive inspection, and the route's main ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, remaining out of action until March after its return from overhaul was delayed due to technical problems.

Last week the Scottish Government-owned ferry operator warned of weeks of disruption as three of its ageing fleet including MV Caledonian Isles had been sidelined due to a new wave of technical problems.

MV Coruisk and MV Isle of Mull were also held up in overhaul for longer than planned for essential repairs. CalMac said it had been working with partners to finalise a timetable of repairs for each vessel.

User groups have been told that MV Isle of Mull had been hit with a new wave of rust. The 31-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, is also understood to need steel repairs.

As a result the route to and from Mull is being reduced to a single vessel service till at least February 8.

A single vessel service is also having to operate to and from Islay and Colonsay up to March 6.

And the Scottish Government £1m-a-month emergency ferry charter MV Alfred is restricted to providing a freight only services between Troon and Arran after safety issues meant it could not operate a passenger service from Ardrossan.

In August, 2022, the Herald on Sunday revealed that Scots islands had been forced to ratio "There has already been shortages and it is just a ridiculous situation to be in.n essential items amid widespread ferry cancellations sparked by a broken down vessel.

Residents complained of food shortages being imposed by local shops with islanders restricted to just one carton of milk and one loaf of bread during the ferry breakdown.

CalMac then insisted that all food was being shipped and said it was not fair to say that any shortages were the direct result of the ferry issues.

Mr MaNeil described it as a "weather and geography fiasco imposed on the Isle of Barra by CalMac".

“CalMac seem to be able to unilaterally bring in rules whenever they want, regardless of the effects on the communities who are left powerless," he said.

“The transport minister must give some redress to communities. Something under the Islands Act, or some other powers, to stop CalMac causing damage and major difficulties for travellers without explanation.

“When CalMac decide that they can sit in Castlebay in really severe weather but in lesser weather, say they have to go to 'safe berth' people are perplexed, all the more since CalMac say no damage was done to the ferry in Castlebay in far worse conditions.

"If they feel they have a genuine issues they should be looking to improve any harbour deficiencies they think they have and done so long ago, rather than just shrugging their shoulders and leaving people to pick up the pieces.

“CalMac are a public service, they have been far from providing a service to the public this week.

“Overriding all of this is people going backward and forward to hospital and the impact on the local economy by CalMac’s decisions.

“I am looking for Government to have the competence and authority to bring some sense to CalMac."

Robbie Drummond, CalMac chief executive said : “Our crews are working in horrendous weather and are doing their utmost to support customers and to keep services running. They are professional, highly trained and the majority live in the communities we serve.

"They are legally responsible for the safety of crews and passengers so often need to make difficult and fast-paced decisions. When bad weather impacts our services, we are flexible and use weather windows or alternative ports where possible to carry passengers whenever it is safe to do so. 

“Oban is very restricted for berthing with only two main berths, complicated to managing normal timetables, and a major restricting factor when we seek alternative options to manage weather disruptions.

“Castlebay is currently without a direct service to Oban due to poor weather, which is why temporary alternatives for Barra customers are in place. A period of intensely poor weather, including three storms, has severely affected all routes across the network.

“MV Isle of Lewis is currently berthed in Stornoway because there was no berthing alternative available. The intention was for the vessel to berth in Oban to allow for a crew change, but this was not possible due to a lack of space, so the crew change was carried out in Ullapool.

“MV Isle of Lewis is not delivering services on the Stornoway - Ullapool route and departed from Ullapool earlier today to lay over in Stornoway as planned with crew only onboard. The vessel will  reposition back from Stornoway to Ullapool on Saturday morning to pick up the Barra service without passengers or traffic from Stornoway.

Finlay MacRae, CalMac head of operations added: "The current weather forecast has not provided a suitable weather window to operate a full return service from Barra to Oban. There is a window on Thursday to operate an amended service from Barra to Ullapool. The vessel will then reposition to Stornoway to lay over across Thursday and Friday.

"The vessel will then reposition back to Ullapool early Saturday morning to take advantage of a further weather window for the return service from Ullapool to Barra. MV Isle of Lewis in not operating services between Ullapool and Stornoway.

“MV Isle of Lewis can only operate to or berth at a limited number of ports, Castlebay, Oban, Stornoway, and Ullapool.

"Oban has been considered but ruled out on this occasion due to no overnight berth being available for MV Isle of Lewis. Stornoway is the only option currently for the two-night layover as it has more than one berth.

“We have advised local hauliers and food suppliers of these temporary changes as well as other alternative routes available via North Uist and will keep in regular contact with them to ensure that the supply chain is maintained.

“We understand that this is a very challenging and difficult time for service users who have seen multiple disruptions over a prolonged period of consecutive named storm fronts, with travel and supply chain disrupted. As in this case, with many factors, we constantly look at options to resume services and will do this whenever there’s a weather window.”